blog hop // around the world

Today I'm sharing a few things as part of an Around the World Blog Hop! The idea here is to tell a bit about me and my work...and connect you with other blogs too! Jesse from Messy Jesse invited me to jump in, and I'm so glad she did! You can read Jesse's answers to the same questions here, but don't stop at that one post. She's got so many wonderful things to see!

Now, here we go!

What am I working on?

I'm always working on lots of things at any given time. Often it feels like too many things!

The 50 States Stitching Club is an ongoing project that will keep me busy through next June. I love stitching along with club members and writing the weekly emails.

This week I suddenly realized that it's August, and when you have a shop, especially one that sells patterns, it means that Christmas comes early. And I'm way behind! So now I'm trying to really get going on Christmas designs.



My friend Susi helped organize a handmade pencil case swap on Instagram and I decided to join in. The theme was ice cream, and I went with a more literal design than others have. My case is similar to a pattern I made a few years ago. This cone and a few other ice cream treats are going to end up as a pattern in my shop soon.

When I can sneak in some time, I'm also sewing and planning a couple quilts for gifts. I'm starting to realize that I really need to hustle on these!

And in the midst of these, I'm always working on blog posts for Wild Olive and a could other places I contribute to!

How does my work differ from others of its genre?

While I'm not the only person putting sweet faces on things, I think that I've found a unique blend of embroidery, English paper piecing, AND cute faces. I also look for ways to present ideas that can come together simply...it's rare for me to post extensive or expensive projects. (Those fruit placemats were about as big a project as I get...most things can be done in a day or less!)

Why do I write/create what I do?

Why? Because I was made for this. I believe that God crafted me to craft, write tutorials, draw happy little pictures, and stitch, and sharing these things is something I NEED to do.

Plus, I love the people I meet through the Internet crafting world!



How does my writing/creative process work?

My process needs to change from day to day, because, right now anyway, life is different every day. That's actually been driving me crazy...I like a bit more routine. But in general, the process starts with an idea. Sometimes those ideas just come to me (like a gift!), while other times I work hard to find them.

Almost every creative thing I work on starts with a sketch and notes jotted down on paper. But then, I jump in. I draw patterns, try them out, and just make! With lots of things in the works, they can get a little jumbled and bundled. Sometimes that makes me more efficient, and other times...not so much. I find that giving myself some flexibility in my schedule and in my process really helps make it all happen.

Thanks, Jesse, for getting me blog hopping!

I've invited a few other folks to join in too, and when they share their Q & A posts, I'll link to them here!